OneAndOneIs2

As you may recall, I got myself a new laptop at Christmas. It came with Vista installed.

Sometimes, just sometimes, I do actually have a want/need for Windows. So instead of just wiping the whole thing, I'm going to dual boot. Because of the potential perils of this, I want to make sure I can re-install Vista if the need should arise.

It doesn't come with install disks, it comes with software that will create them for you. So I'm currently going through all the options and making every possible backup, in the hopes that at least one of them will work.

The first one, the factory default, burned away merrily until it reached the end. Then it locked up.

That's what users want from their new Windows installations. Familiarity :o)

I rebooted and it seemed to work. Didn't go the whole way, tho - wanted to get all the other recovery options first. Right now, it's backing up drivers. I'll probably do another "default" just in case..

I'm hoping, perhaps naively, that the factory default won't have all the CRAP installed on it that the laptop does... This is what I get when I start up my virgin Vista laptop:

All those icons.. the application windows.. the sidebar icons... I don't want any of it!

Except for the webcam software.. that's quite handy. It's quite a good camera built into the laptop:

So once the disk is burned, I'll reinstall "default" Vista. Then I'll install Ubuntu as well. Then I'll take all the crap out of Vista, put on useful stuff like Firefox, and we'll be all set.

Speaking of Firefox, if you look at the webcam image, just to the right of my ear, you'll see my plush red panda - AKA the firefox. Good isn't it? :o)

(You'll also see Dilbert peeking over my shoulder. But let's not go there...)